While ordinances affecting residents were approved during the Jellico Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting last Thursday, another affecting beer board members failed to gain support.

Several fires have left residences hazardous in the community, according to Mayor Les Stiers.

An ordinance requiring property owners to repair fire damage within 45 days was approved by the Jellico Board.

“There was no ordinance that makes people clean up their property,” said Stiers. “This puts some teeth in there.”

The board approved the first reading of the ordinance. Once approved in the final reading, citizens will be required to clean up fire damage within 45 days.

“It is unsafe for the community,” said Stiers about the importance of enacting the ordinance.

Another ordinance approved on the first reading was an emergency drought and/or water shortage plan. The Jellico Utility Board provided the ordinance to the town board for approval. Once in affect the ordinance will be followed in the event of an emergency situation involving water or lack of.

While these two ordinances were approved, an ordinance to amend the membership for the beer board failed. Ordinance number 79-2010 would amend the beer board membership to include representatives from outside the municipal area. The current ordinance requires beer board members to have property within the town limits. The ordinance didn’t receive a motion.

Also on the agenda was the Hill Street project. The board opened five bids for the project. The lowest bid of $27,500 from Chadwell Excavation was chosen among the bids.

The company started work on the street repairs Monday morning. Hill Street stretches from Jellico Elementary School into downtown. It is a main thoroughfare in Jellico, according to Stiers.

Since the street was damaged almost two years ago from a wash out, many emergency vehicles have been forced to take longer routes to their destinations, said Stiers.

“These are liabilities for the town,” said Stiers about the dangerous condition of the road.

Also discussed during the monthly Jellico meeting was changing the designation of the sidewalk grant. Stiers said the original plan to construct sidewalks from the school to the state park was not economically feasible.

Rather the town board plans on repairing sidewalks through downtown as an alternative for the sidewalk grant money. The project has gone back to the planning phases since the location of the sidewalks has changed.

The town of Jellico is planning a New Year’s Eve Bash at the downtown Veteran’s Park on Dec. 31. From 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. a DJ will be playing music for dancing and hot drinks will be served. The community is invited to take part in the family friendly event.